The Church, the Falling Away, and the RestorationShepherd, J. W. (James Walton)
Religion
The Church, the Falling Away, and the Restoration
Shepherd, J. W. (James Walton)
Churches of Christ -- Doctrines; Disciples of Christ -- Controversial literature; Disciples of Christ -- Doctrines
This meeting was attended by many from Ohio and other distant parts, who
returned to their homes and spread the same spirit in their
neighborhoods, and the same results followed, and it can not be denied
that great good resulted. Nor were its effects by any means transient,
but were felt for years in the rapid growth of the churches in general
and in a great degree of religious fervor.
From the beginning of this great excitement Mr. Stone had been employed
almost day and night in preaching, singing, visiting, and praying with
and for the distressed, till his lungs failed and became inflamed,
attended with a violent cough, and it was believed that he had
tuberculosis. His strength failed and he believed that his end was near.
Notwithstanding this he had an intense desire to attend a camp-meeting a
few miles distant from Caneridge. His physician had strictly forbidden
him to preach any more till his disease should be removed.
This meeting was held in a grove near Paris. Here for the first time a
Presbyterian preacher opposed the work and the doctrine by which the
zeal among them had its existence and life. He labored hard to bring the
people under the yoke of Calvin and to regulate them according to his
standard. He wished to leave the camp at night and repair to the town,
nearly a mile away, and hold the meeting in a house that would not hold
half the people. This could not be done without leaving their tent and
other things exposed. The consequence was, the meeting was divided and
the work greatly hindered. Infidels and formalists were greatly elated
over this supposed victory and passed great encomiums on the preacher;
but the hearts of the revivalists were filled with sorrow. Stone went to
the meeting in town. A preacher was put forward who had always been
hostile to the work and seldom mingled with the revivalists. He
addressed the assembly in “iceberg style,” and its influence was very
depressing. Stone had decided to lead the congregation in prayer just as
soon as the preacher closed. When he finally closed, Stone arose and
said, “Let us pray.” At that very moment another preacher of the same
cast with the former rose in the pulpit to preach another sermon; but
Stone proceeded to pray, feeling a tender concern for the people. While
he was praying the people became much affected and the house was filled
with distress. Some of the preachers jumped out of the window back of
the pulpit and fled. Stone then pushed his way through the crowd to
those in distress, pointed them to the way of salvation, and
administered to them the comforts of the Gospel. The physician who was
attending him being present, pressed his way through the crowd and found
Stone wet with perspiration. He ordered him to his home, lecturing him
severely for violating his orders. He put on dry clothes and retired at
once, slept sounding, and arose next morning perfectly relieved from his
affliction. He soon regained his strength and joyfully resumed his
ministerial duties.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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